Africa's History: Why Is Europe's Contribution So Contentious?
Reviewing 'An African History of Africa', by Zeinab Badawi
“For too long, Africa’s history has been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, or simply ignored. Now, Zeinab Badawi sets the record straight.”
An award-winning best-seller with rave reviews, proclaiming it: 'overdue', 'refreshing', and 'necessary'. Zeinab Badawi attempts a comprehensive history of the continent in a mere 450 pages. Impressive! Someone interested in African history might be forgiven for believing they had stumbled upon a definitive account of Africa, from an African no less—a welcome reprieve from those intrusive Europeans.
However, it becomes quickly apparent that the book’s greatest stumbling block is the unfortunate fact that no written language existed in sub-Saharan Africa prior to the arrival of Europeans. This limitation leaves the book with little new to offer a reader already familiar with general African history. The 'Out of Africa' theory, Egyptian kings, European expeditions—all mentioned, but scarcely expanded upon.
Having travelled to 30 African nations over seven years, Zeinab recounts her experiences in a matter-of-fact prose that can feel underwhelming given the scope of her subject. ‘Countless’ African historians are consulted, and many of their claims—some of which are quite outlandish—are presented without adequate elaboration or evidence. Passages starting with “so-and-so believes that…”, are left unchallenged, likely because oral history alone is impossible to verify, but the author’s opinion on the claims is also omitted. As a result, these points often feel more like filler than substantive contributions.
The author’s on-site visits to historical locations, which could have offered rich detail and context, are instead recounted with the superficial tone of a casual tourist. Passages such as, “In the Kerkouane Museum I saw on display a sarcophagus painted red, whose cover was in the shape of a woman…”, with no further context, add little to the narrative. Elsewhere, bold assertions are made, again without explaination, such as the claim that the Pyramids were built by workers rather than slaves. Though it may be true, it has not been definitively proven, and certainly is not here.
The book also contains numerous factual inaccuracies. Napoleon is described as 'Emperor' during the Egyptian Expedition, though he did not claim this title until late 1804, over six years after this campaign began. While this might be dismissed as a minor error concerning yet another meddling European, the inaccuracies do not stop there. Misidentified periods and figures—such as claiming Narmer was a king of the Egyptian Old Kingdom—and geographical errors, like stating Gaza lies beyond Ashdod in relation to Egypt, are troubling errors that could have been corrected with minimal effort.
The narrative is further hampered by overly descriptive, travelogue-like passages that detract from its academic ambitions. Atmospheric passages detailing the logistics of meeting various historians, invariably described as 'the esteemed' or 'the prominent' so-and-so, feel out of place in a work aiming to present a comprehensive history. The wind chiming, the rich aromas, the taste of coffee—all contribute little to the reader’s understanding of Africa’s past and instead bloat the book with more filler.
Zeinab Badawi, who has lived in Britain since the age of two, does not claim to be a historian. She clarifies that her book is “not an academic work nor a comparison of civilisations,” but rather a counterbalance to negative perceptions of Africa. However, these disclaimers do not excuse its lack of academic rigour or its reliance on superficial narratives. Having interviewed ‘countless’ historians, the book may have initially aspired to academic value, but ultimately fell short. Relying heavily on oral history to cover thousands of years of African history makes it less a work of non-fiction and more a charming piece of romanticism.
The overriding objective of the book is to dispel the troublesome narratives induced from European accounts. However, from the Carthaginian raiders to the Barbary slave traders, Europeans have had very good reason to be hostile to the peoples of Africa. Yet, the fascinating accounts of brave European explorers are dismissed as or unworthy of consideration. Europeans found sub-Saharan Africa to be tribal, exceedingly dangerous, and without any written languages. Their understandable lack of romanticism toward the ‘Dark Continent’, or lack of desire to incorporate fanciful native folklore into their accounts, should not be chastised.
The book concludes with a rather optimistic view of post-colonial Africa in the 1970s, celebrating the continent as 'free' from oppression (with the notable exception of South Africa). This tone may resonate with readers looking for a triumphant ending, but it ignores the challenges that replaced colonialism: war-mongering dictators, rampant corruption, famine, Arab slavery, etc.
'Necessary' the book indeed is—though not for its accuracy or literary merit. Instead, it serves a deeper cultural and emotional need: to fill a void and offer a history of Africa by an African, however imperfect. In doing so, it satisfies a hunger for representation and identity in the romantic retelling of Africa’s past. For this reason, it will undoubtedly continue to fly off the shelves.